Seagate FreeAgent Pro 1TB External Hard Drive Review

We need storage and we need lots of it. Between all those songs, pictures, videos, and other multimedia content, there's a good chance that your internal hard drive is starting to get pretty packed with files. Even if you're not getting close to full capacity, you should probably invest in a reliable backup solution in case something were to happen to your computer. The last thing that you'd want is to lose all of those priceless family photos!

Seagate has long since established itself as a leader in the hard drive industry and one of their latest external offerings is not only attractive, but it's also versatile and it comes with loads of storage capacity. The Seagate FreeAgent Pro external hard drive is now available with a whopping one terabyte of space; that's 1000GB, folks!

Packaging Makes For a Great First Impression

I normally don't spend too much time talking about the packaging for any given product, but Seagate Technology has really outdone themselves with the FreeAgent Pro 1TB external hard drive. Each individual component comes in its own anti-static bag and then the main product itself is protected by a nice egg carton-like cardboard enclosure.

There is no installation CD because all of the software has been pre-installed on the hard drive itself. Windows will automatically install all the necessary software to get you going, so the FreeAgent Pro is essentially plug-and-play. It's only if you want to make use of the included "FreeAgent Tools" that you need to deal with any sort of real installation and configuration. The AutoBackup software is pretty handy, because it makes backing up your files a completely automated process, using a mix of incremental and full backup capabilities that you pretty much set and forget. Since most people tend to forget, that's a good thing that there is someone remembering to do it.

In terms of the device itself, I'm very pleased with both the design and build quality of the FreeAgent Pro 1TB. The body is made up of what appears to be a brushed aluminum shell, but instead of the usual silver or black, Seagate has gone with a brown-bronze shade and it works very well. There is also a glossy portion that wraps all the way around and the Seagate logo on one side. These appear to be pretty unassuming until you power 'er up and turn 'er on.

What results is an orange-yellow glow that is actually quite attractive. I wouldn't think that I'd like the look of an external hard drive that has been wrapped in brown and yellow, but the scheme works very well and makes for a rather professional -- yet chic -- appearance. The aesthetics on this are great. I guess since this thing is fully MAC compatible, it also needs to stylish.

About The Author

Michael Kwan is freelance writer and professional gadget geek. He's been reporting on the world of technology for years, playing countless console games along the way too. Be sure to check out his personal blog, Beyond the Rhetoric, for posts on freelance writing, personal development, entertainment, video games, and more. Follow him on Twitter too: @michaelkwan